White Paper
2013
College President, Provost, and
Chief Academic Officer Survey
on Textbook Delivery and
Bookstore Services
Covering topics including the impact of course material costs on
student satisfaction, textbook affordability policies, academic
freedom, and eTextbooks.
Authors:
John Squires, CEO, Akademos
Ingrid Ramos Nakamura, VP of Marketing, Akademos
December 2013
1. The leader in online bookstore + marketplace services for educational
institutions.
2. An olive grove outside of ancient Athens named for a Greek war hero.
It is the site where Plato founded his famous school of philosophy and is
the source of the English word “academy.” Akademos is often thought of
as the birthplace of Western philosophy, scientific reason, and some of
our most cherished ideas about justice and the free exchange of ideas.
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Introduction
Several times a year we at Akademos conduct surveys to assure we’ve got the pulse of the rapidly
evolving textbook industry. We reach out to CFOs, students, bookstore managers, faculty, and now, with
this latest survey, presidents, provosts, and chief academic officers. That data helps provide us with a
(close to) 360-degree view of textbook delivery. From where we are standing, there are a few things we
need to be doing better, and a few things schools need to be doing better.
Akademos believes every student has the right to affordable, high-quality educational materials. This
philosophy frames much of the materials we develop for colleges and universities, including this white
paper.
As you will note in our executive summary below, our biggest recommendation from this survey is for
schools to create or formalize a textbook affordability program. Key components of the program should
include:
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Consulting students about textbook affordability
Gathering data on which students are shopping at your school bookstore and which are not
Determining how your current bookstore business model balances against your school’s mission
Training faculty on selecting high-quality, low-cost texts
Preparing for increased adoption of digital textbooks and their delivery
Asking yourself what the opportunity-cost of not reducing textbooks prices on academic
preparedness, retention, and completion could be
Akademos believes one of the best ways to reduce textbook costs is to move your textbook delivery
exclusively online. But by consulting your textbook affordability committee, students, and other key
stakeholders, we know that those managing institutions of higher learning will find many innovative
ways to reach the finish line. What we ask is that you go through the process, then come back and let us
know which tactics worked to improve textbook affordability for students in higher education.
Sincerely,
John Squires
Chief Executive Officer
Akademos
Akademos offers a full-service, online bookstore solution that delivers cost savings on course materials while
providing administrators and faculty critical control over the textbook delivery process.
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Executive Summary
In 2013, Akademos conducted a survey of college and university presidents, provosts, and chief
academic officers (CAOs) that focused primarily on textbook delivery and bookstore practices.
The survey complemented a similar survey of college CFOs in 2012 that focused primarily on
bookstore business operations. Given the audience of respondents in this new survey, we
included several academically-focused questions.
The biggest takeaway from our current survey: Schools that have textbook affordability
programs report lower textbook costs, as well as higher student and faculty satisfaction with
textbook costs.
Administrators from both surveys agreed that textbook affordability impacts retention and
persistence. Student and faculty satisfaction with textbook prices were reported as extremely
low, and respondents from this survey reported that 1/3 of students were not shopping at the
school-sanctioned bookstore for course materials. Price is driving students away.
Our findings show that few schools reported having a formal program to advise faculty on
selecting high-quality, low-cost course materials. But the majority of schools that did report
having a formal program also reported that the program was successful at lowering textbook
costs.
Obstacles to reducing textbook costs included the perception that publisher prices are
increasing, that no one person or department is accountable, and that faculty do not
necessarily consider price in selecting appropriate texts. In further exploring the faculty’s role in
textbook affordability, respondents were split on whether “academic freedom” makes it more
challenging to advise faculty on selecting high-quality, low-cost texts.
Tactics that schools have taken to reduce textbook costs included:
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Creating a textbook affordability program/committee
Consulting with students about textbook affordability
Moving, or discussing moving, the delivery of textbooks exclusively online
Our recommendation upon analyzing the results of the president, provost, and CAO survey is
that schools should start by formalizing a textbook affordability program or committee as soon
as possible in order to reduce textbook costs and improve student and faculty satisfaction.
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Survey Summary
Conducted by Akademos in the summer of 2013, this survey explores the
thoughts of college presidents, provosts, chief academic officers (CAOs), and
other similar titles, on textbook delivery practices. We received 471 completed
responses.
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Textbook Costs and Persistence
Ninety-three percent of presidents, provosts, and CAOs indicated textbook costs impact
retention and persistence.
Involvement in Textbook Affordability Strategy
Eighty-three percent of presidents, provosts, and CAOs reported involvement in a textbook
affordability strategy at their institution, with 24% stating they are "very involved."
Respondents at 2-year public institutions, schools with large enrollments, and schools serving
lower-income students were more likely to be involved in a textbook affordability strategy.
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Programs to Help Faculty Select High-Quality, Low-Cost Books
The majority of respondents (56%) indicated they do not have a formal program to assist
faculty in selecting high-quality, low-cost textbooks.
Schools with higher enrollments were more likely to report having a formal program to help
faculty select high-quality, low-cost texts.
Presidents, provosts, and CAOs who responded agreed that textbook costs do impact retention
were more likely to report having a textbook affordability committee.
Colleges and universities that reported having a formal textbook affordability program also
reported higher student and faculty satisfaction.
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How Successful is Your Textbook Affordability Program
Of the respondents that do have a formal program to help faculty select high quality, low-cost
texts, 69% of them reported the program has been successful at lowering textbooks costs.
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Obstacles to Reducing Textbook Costs
Respondents that do not have a program to help faculty select high-quality, low-cost texts were
asked to identify obstacles to reducing textbook costs (choosing all options that applied). The
majority indicated that publisher price increases were a notable challenge.
No one person/
department is
accountable
Faculty do
not consider
textbook
prices in
making
adoptions
Our textbook
sales
represent
needed
revenue for
our school
Publisher
price
increases
Other
Respondents at 2-year institutions were more likely to report that textbook sales represent
needed revenue for their school.
Respondents at public, 4-year institutions were more likely to report that faculty members do
not consider costs when selecting textbooks.
Of those that selected “Other”, one-fourth identified issues regarding faculty control of the
decision to select texts. Those answers were fairly evenly distributed among those who believe
faculty are aware of the rising costs of textbooks (and may or may not be taking action to
address cost), those who objectively cited “academic freedom”, and those who indicated
faculty could use additional awareness training regarding how the price of textbook impact
students.
Publishers frequently changing editions were the second most commonly cited obstacle.
Additional obstacles included lack of quality alternatives, bundles and custom books,
outsourced bookstore contracts that prevent competition and increase prices, bookstores that
are not focused on affordability, the used-book market driving up costs of first editions, and
financial aid forcing students to shop at bookstores.
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Tactics to Reduce Textbook Costs
Respondents were asked to select all tactics they had undertaken to reduce textbook costs.
Consulting students was the most common answer:
1. Consult with students
2. Create a textbook affordability committee
3. Consider moving bookstore to online only
Those that chose “Other” or “None of the above” added the following tactics:
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Textbook rentals
Adopting eBooks
Using open source or OER (Open Educational Resources) for common courses
Faculty training or policies to reduce textbook costs
Getting rid of textbooks all together
Using library reserve
Negotiating prices with publishers
Using custom course packs created by professors
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HEOA/Textbook Affordability Provision Compliance
Fifty-six percent of respondents indicated they are compliant with the Textbook
Affordability Provision of the Higher Education Opportunity Act.
Percentage of On-Time Faculty Adoptions
Respondents indicated that, on average, 73% of faculty submitted textbook adoptions on time.
Respondents at 2-year public institutions, as well as those serving low-income students, were
more likely to submit faculty adoptions in a timely manner.
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Student and Faculty Satisfaction with Textbook Prices
In terms of stakeholder satisfaction, respondents estimated that
81%
of students and
44%
of faculty are dissatisfied with textbook prices, with the majority of faculty identified as neutral
on the issue.
CAOs were more likely to report lower faculty satisfaction with textbook prices, as were
respondents at 2-year public schools.
In your opinion, how satisfied are the following groups at your institution with textbook prices?
Students
Faculty
Extremely
unsatisfied
Very
unsatisfied
Neutral
Very
satisfied
Extremely
satisfied
22%
4%
59%
40%
16%
49%
3%
6%
1%
1%
Academic Freedom's Impact on Advising Faculty About Affordability
Almost half of respondents (49%) indicated that academic freedom does pose a challenge in
advising faculty on selecting more affordable textbooks, while 41% answered that academic
freedom does not have an impact on advising faculty.
Respondents who chose “Other” (10%) indicated that this was a complex question and, as one
respondent stated, "there is disagreement on the answer to this question on this campus."
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When Will eTextbooks Reach Mass Adoption?
Sixty-four percent of respondents believe a majority of students will adopt eTextbooks
with 5 years.
Many respondents who chose "Other" advised they were not certain when eBooks would reach
critical mass.
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Students Shopping Outside the Bookstore
Respondents estimated that 64% of students are shopping at the college bookstore.
Presidents were more likely to report a higher percentage of students shop for their course
materials in the school bookstore.
Two-year public schools were also more likely to report higher numbers of students shop within
the school-sanctioned bookstore for textbooks by a large margin, as were those that serve
lower income students.
Conversely, 4-year not-for-profit and 4-year public institutions were more likely to report lower
percentages of students shopping at the bookstore for their books.
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Brick-and-Mortar vs. Online—Current Practices
Seventy-three percent of respondents reported having both a brick-and mortar and online
bookstore at their school.
Four-year not-for-profit schools were more likely to report an online-only business model for
their textbook sales.
Those schools with a brick-and-mortar-only textbook component to their bookstore were less
likely to have consulted students or have a formal textbook affordability program.
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Brick-and-Mortar vs. Online—Future Predictions
Eighty-two percent of respondents predicted that textbooks would be sold at both a brickand mortar and online bookstore in the future.
Deans were more likely to select the future of textbook sales remaining brick-and-mortar only.
Two-year institutions were less likely to select online-only in the future for textbook sales, as
were schools with higher enrollment.
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Conclusion
Form a formal program to help faculty
The most important insight that emerged from our president, provost, and CAO
survey regarding textbook delivery practices is that having a formal program to
help faculty select high-quality, low-cost course materials correlates with higher
student and faculty satisfaction with textbook prices. This piece of data is very
“actionable,” and we include some best practices for a textbook affordability
program at the end of this paper.
We recognize that quality must be the top characteristic faculty assess in deciding
which texts to adopt for their course. That is why we recommend providing
faculty additional support on the practical concerns of assessing quality and cost.
Increase satisfaction with textbook costs: Ask students what they think
Student and faculty satisfaction with textbook prices are extremely low across the
board. We know it is challenging to get customers to report satisfaction with
textbook prices, but there appear to be significant steps schools can take to
improve satisfaction, such as starting a formal program and surveying students
about costs. If schools do not address the dissatisfaction, the risk of students
shopping outside the school bookstore will continue to impact sales.
Address the “academic freedom” in the room
The respondents were somewhat evenly split on whether academic freedom
poses a challenge to advising faculty on textbook costs.
Many of you wrote in about your great respect for this principle, and for faculty
expertise in their fields, suggesting it was not your place to advise on the matter.
Many also made the key point that quality must come first (and we at Akademos
completely agree). Others saw no issue here, suggesting that respecting academic
freedom and advising faculty on textbook adoption are not mutually exclusive.
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Our recommendation is to have a conversation with faculty about the how the
costs of textbooks relate to academic preparedness, retention, and completion.
Include practical methods for reviewing quality first, and cost as a supporting key
characteristic.
Key correlations: schools with formal programs have higher satisfaction
What do schools that reported higher student and faculty satisfaction with
textbook prices look like?
Schools that have a formal program to advise faculty on high-quality, low-cost
texts, and that have on-time textbook adoptions from their faculty report higher
student satisfaction.
Formal textbook
affordability
program
HIGH
High-quality books
Lower-cost books
FACULTY SATISFACTION
Academic freedom
Multiple book options
On-time adoption
Higher retention rates
Student preparedness
No academic freedom
LOW
No formal
textbook
affordability
program
Low retention rates
Low-quality books
Limited book options
High-cost books
LOW
HIGH
STUDENT SATISFACTION
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If you do one thing…
We highlight this point throughout the paper, but we think it is worth repeating
one last time. In order to improve student and faculty satisfaction regarding
textbook prices, we recommend developing a textbook affordability committee or
other formal program that includes advising faculty on the impact of course
material costs on factors such as academic preparedness, retention, and
persistence, as well as providing practical tips for reviewing quality and cost in
textbook selection.
Next steps: textbook affordability best practices
To further examine the issue of textbook affordability at your school, consider
starting with an audit of your textbook selection and delivery practices, taking
into account how student-buying habits are changing and how cost affects
academic preparedness. We have put together a Textbook Affordability Best
Practices Test, located on the final page of this paper, to assist you with
evaluating both the health and the mission of your textbook practices.
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About the Authors
John Squires is Chief Executive Officer of Akademos. Mr. Squires was
previously the founder of Next Issue Media, the digital publishing
consortium joined by Conde Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corporation,
and Time Inc., which was brought together to develop publishing
solutions for tablet reading devices. Prior to Next Issue Media, Squires
served as Executive Vice President at Time Inc., where he was
responsible for leading digital operations and overseeing Time, Fortune,
Sports Illustrated, Money, and Golf magazines. Squires holds a BA from
the University of Washington and a certificate from the Yale Professional Publishing Program.
Ingrid Ramos Nakamura has over 17 years’ experience in marketing,
advertising, and product management, with the last six of those
focused on higher education and during a time of innovative digital
growth. She was formally the Vice President of Marketing for
Akademos, a leading provider of online bookstore solutions for
educational institutions whose offerings include branded virtual
bookstores, free eLearning tools, and textbook marketplaces that rival
third-party ecommerce sites. She has previously worked at education
technology companies ConnectEdu, EducationDynamics, and GoalQuest. In her roles, Ramos
Nakamura focuses on both B2B and B2C outreach, including institutional marketing and sales as
well as marketing to students, their families, and alumni. Ramos Nakamura has also worked for
Williams-Sonoma corporate with their modern home goods retailer West Elm, and ad agencies
FCB and JWT. She earned a BA in English from Boston College and a certificate in Professional
Publishing from Stanford University.
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About Akademos
Akademos is a leader in online bookstore and marketplace
services for educational institutions. We offer virtual bookstore
services, eLearning solutions, and an innovative textbook
marketplace that rivals third-party marketplaces. Our comprehensive supply-chain solution and
commitment to responsive personal service help us provide affordable textbooks and digital
learning tools for schools and students. Students can choose from new, used, rental, and eBook
options while schools can reduce costs and increase operating efficiency. Faculty can search,
discover, and adopt new texts using the Akademos Textbook Adoption Tool.
Akademos has been involved in improving textbook affordability for over a decade. We started
with the idea that students should have a more affordable option for buying course materials—
and the Web offered a perfect vehicle. Soon enough, schools began to partner with us in order
to leverage our educational e-commerce platform. And the fact that we integrate with alreadyexisting course registration, financial aid, SISs, and other technology systems makes the
transition an easy decision for most schools. Our prices rival third-party sites, and, unlike on the
most popular of those sites, students are able to apply financial aid dollars to their textbook
purchases. So students pay less for high-quality texts, and financial aid dollars are applied to the
most affordable books instead of the most expensive.
Akademos delivers the right course materials, at affordable prices, on time. Learn more about
Akademos' faculty textbook comparison portal at http://www.adoption.akademos.com, its
direct-to-students ecommerce platform at http://www.textbookx.com, and its offerings to
partner schools at http://www.akademos.com.
For more white papers, webinars, and similar resources, visit www.akademos.com/resources.
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Textbook Affordability Best Practices Audit
Results from our survey of college presidents, provosts, and CAOs show that having a textbook
affordability program is positively correlated to student and to faculty satisfaction with textbook prices.
Here are some tips for starting or optimizing a program to assess textbook affordability.
 Formalize a textbook affordability committee. Perhaps this group meets as part of an overall
affordability initiative. Faculty and students should be represented.
 Gather the following for your Textbook Affordability Audit:
o Students shopping at the bookstore — Determine the percentage of students who are
shopping for the majority of books at the school-sanctioned bookstore.
o What students (and faculty) think about textbook prices — Conduct a student survey or
focus group. Include students in all decisions about textbook delivery.
o Price comparison — See if your bookstore prices are competitive by doing a cost
comparison. Search for 5–10 common textbooks and review prices at third-party vendors vs.
the school bookstore. Place them in a simple spreadsheet and calculate the differences.
o Textbook sales and commissions — Gather key sales data and analyze the cost of making a
profit selling textbooks.
o School mission and philosophy — Have a real discussion about textbook practices and how
they stack up against your school's mission and/or philosophy.
o Retention and persistence — Discuss how textbook affordability is impacting the academic
preparedness of your students.
o Digital and OER — Assign someone to update the team on digital textbooks and the open
educational resources movement with an eye toward high quality, more affordable texts.
How can the institution keep up with digital technology in textbook delivery?
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Train faculty. Relay information about how textbook prices impact academic preparedness,
retention, and persistence. Include practical advice on how subject matter experts such as faculty
can weigh quality and supporting characteristics such as cost.
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Determine (or update) a policy and long-term textbook affordability strategy. Share your results
with the school community.
Textbook affordability is a highly discussed issue among students, parents, faculty, administrators,
the government, the media, and the general public. These tips can help ensure your school is
making conscious choices about textbook prices and their impact on faculty and students.
For more white papers, webinars, and similar resources, visit www.akademos.com/resources.
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For more information about this survey or for questions about our online
bookstore services, contact us at [email protected] or visit
www.akademos.com.
Akademos | 200 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, CT | 203.866.0190, ext 18
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